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I think we all feel blessed to be Americans. I feel particularly blessed because it could easily have been different for me. My father is from Egypt and my mother is from Germany. They came to this country after World War II. They arrived here with almost nothing. They met in medical school. They moved to Atlanta in 1964 when I was born. They had very successful medical careers, helped a lot of people and gave a lot back to their community.

The launch of the healthcare insurance exchanges on Oct. 1 was nothing short of a travesty.

Of the 3 million people that jammed the healthcare Web site during the first 24 hours, a grand total of six were able to navigate their way through the electronic labyrinth and actually enroll.

This key centerpiece to the Affordable Care Act, otherwise known as Obamacare, was the sort of massive failure that, unfortunately, one has come to expect from the bloated, heavy-footed bureaucracy in Washington.

ATLANTA — The response some Georgia Democrats and Republicans offer on the Obamacare has changed in recent days, each swayed by different realities about the most far-reaching federal law in half a century.

From the time it was first proposed, through its rush passage by Congress until this month’s beginning of its central application, Democrats have unfailingly defended it, and Republicans have tried to stop it all together. Suddenly, each is saying something new.

The 12-foot-high statue of Tom Watson that has dominated the western front of Georgia’s capitol for more than eight decades will be gone in just a few weeks.

The bronze figure of the fiery old populist shaking his clenched fist at the sky is being moved as part of a major renovation of the capitol steps. It will not be returned to that location when the work is completed.

The statue’s impending move from such a prominent spot is a reminder of how drastically a person’s political beliefs and place in history can change.

During this time of year, many people enjoy the spectacle of fall color change. Raking leaves also marks the beginning of fall.

Often overlooked is the reason why leaves change color and leaves are shed during the fall. Before exploring these questions, there must be a basic understanding of the seasonal changes within the leaf and their function in the plant itself.

For the longest time, Columbia County has had the reputation as a “development friendly” community.

No doubt, the county has earned that reputation. The growth we have seen in the past two decades has transformed the county from a mostly rural, sleepy bedroom community to one of the fastest developing places in the state. During that time, some 40,000 people have moved here, choosing our communities, schools and quality of life over other neighboring counties.

Long before we had iPads and smart phones and apps, we gathered once a year for the county fair. As far back as the 1800s, families anticipated this week of the fall season to share their best crops and latest gadgets and talents. Local fairs united us.